Mississippi House says no to Medicaid expansion again

Mississippi House rejects proposal to expand Medicaid

The Mississippi House voted Thursday against expanding Medicaid to more than 230,000 uninsured working poor residents.

Rep. Cecil Brown, D-Jackson, pushed for expansion as the House considered House Bill 1481, an early version of the Medicaid budget for the year that begins July 1.

Brown pointed out that most lawmakers receive taxpayer-funded health insurance for their part-time jobs. He told his colleagues that when they go back to their districts, they should talk to barbers, waitresses, convenience store clerks and roofers and ask if they’re insured. He said the workers probably don’t have employer-sponsored health coverage.

Gulflive
2/20/14